1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf ball and tee holder for use during a golf game and particularly suitable for a superstitious or nervous golfer to calm his or her nerves. Golf balls and tees are inserted, held and dispensed in two respective elongated open-ended tubes. A portion of the lowermost ball is exposed in the ball holding tube, thereby permitting the golfer to both touch and/or position the lowermost ball. Alternatively, the golfer may manually examine the the ball for surface imperfections by rotating the ball within the ball holding tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various golf balls and tee dispensers are discussed below.
A ball holder for golf bags is disclosed in Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,718,952 wherein a cylindrical ball holder is formed by a plurality of retainers. To remove or insert a ball, a retainer must be moved to one side of its normal position and the ball must then be passed between the retainers. Fischer does not provide any means for dispensing golf tees, nor the capability to position the lowermost ball.
A golf ball holder is taught in Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,754,495. Anderson discloses a ball and tee holder approximating the shape of a golf stick and intended to be carried in a golf bag. The Anderson invention provides a cylindrical tube with a permanent base, and a removable top. For a golfer to gain access to additional balls or tees, the top must be removed, which exposes the balls and tees.
Wasserlein, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,073,328, discloses a golf tee magazine device. In the Wasserlein device, golf tees are stored in a cylindrical column and are removed by snapping the lowermost tee free from a pair of hooks. Wasserlein discloses no means to dispense, touch or position a lowermost golf ball held in a cylindrical elongated golf ball tube holder.
Van Rosen, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,130, discloses a dispenser which dispenses round objects. The Van Rosen apparatus could be adapted to dispense golf balls. Van Rosen, utilizes a rectangularly shaped housing to hold various round objects. On the bottom of the housing there is formed a slot covered by a plate. The plate can be shifted in such a manner so as to allow a round object to pass out of the slot. The plate may be shifted by a finger-operated dispenser means. However, the Van Rosen dispenser does not permit the touching or positioning of the lowermost ball. The Van Rosen dispenser does not appear adaptable for elongated conical objects, such as tees, which can not be rolled out of the dispenser's slot.
A golf ball and tee holder is taught by Houser in U.S. Pat. No. 2,768,775. The Houser holder is a cylindrical tube for housing golf balls with a permanent top. Located on the top is an elastic or leather like strap with loops to insert golf tees. The bottom of the Houser cylindrical tube is narrow, so as to prevent a golf ball from exiting therefrom. When the golfer requires a new ball, the lowermost ball is pushed upwardly, and is allowed to pass out of the cylindrical housing through an opening large enough to allow the passage of a golf ball and located on a side wall of the cylindrical housing.
A combination golf ball carrier and dispenser as taught by Smith, et al. is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,067. Smith et al. teaches a cylindrical tube for holding golf balls with a pair of resilient flanges inside the tube, so as to prevent balls from exiting out from the top of the tube. A second pair of resilient flanges prevent balls from exiting out of the bottom of the tube. To remove a ball, the lowermost ball must be grasped by the golfer and pulled downwardly. The golfer must exert a downward pressure sufficient to overcome the holding force the resilient flanges exert on the lowermost ball.
Motard, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,031, discloses another golf ball dispenser, including an elongated open-ended tube. In the Motard patent, a plurality of balls are fed into the top end of the tube. The lowermost ball abuts a gate, which in turn is connected to a dispensing handle. When the dispensing handle is actuated, the gate opens, thereby allowing the ball to fall out of the tube.
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,209 by Sanders, another golf ball holder is disclosed. In the Sanders patent, an elongated tube with a permanent bottom and an opening in the side wall of the tube is provided. Balls enter and exit out of this single opening. Within the opening there is disposed a mechanical restraining finger, which when depressed, allows balls to be loaded into the tube. To subsequently remove the balls, the restraining finger is activated, thereby allowing a single ball to pass out of the single opening.
There are in the prior art various golf ball or tee holders in which a plurality of balls or tees are held and are made available to the golfer during a round of golf. However, none of the prior art devices fulfills a long felt need for a golfer to both position and/or touch the lowermost ball by means of his or her thumb or fingers, and then release the ball with that very same thumb or finger.
This long felt need is derived from the fact that many sportsmen rely on superstitious "routines" before engaging in a competitive acts of sport, in the belief that it will enhance their performance. For example, many basketball stars, such as Patrick Ewing, will bounce the basketball "7" times before a foul shot, because he realizes the number "7" has traditionally meant good luck. Or, many little leaguers will use a baseball bat autographed by a baseball superstar, such as Micky Mantle, in the hope the autographed bat will mystically enable him to hit home runs with the same proficiency, frequency and magnitude as Micky Mantle did.
So too in golf, many superstitions come into the minds of golfers. An amateur golfer may superstitiously belief that if he is able to touch or position a golf ball autographed by a great golfer, such as Arnold Palmer, before taking a crucial shot, then he too will shoot just as champion golfer Arnold Palmer does. The ability to touch or position the ball during a round a golf with the thumb or fingers of one hand, while leaving his other hand free, and then being able to release the ball with the same thumb or finger, provides the superstitious golfer with an enormous pyschological benefit by placing his or her mind at ease. Thus, it may actually also enable him to play a better round of golf.
The ability to touch and position the lowermost ball also provides a benefit for the non-superstitious golfer. It allows such a golfer to manually examine the ball for surface imperfections by rotating the lowermost ball inside the tube.